(Last reviewed 29/08/2025)
Key Legislation and Guidance
- Children Act 1989 (and 2004 amendments)
1a. Section 22 requires local authorities to keep children in their care safe, and the 2004 amendments strengthened this duty by calling for more proactive approaches to any allegation. - Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011
2a. Regulation 12 states that every fostering service must have a clear complaints procedure.
2b. Regulation 36 confirms that foster carers are entitled to support, including independent support, when an allegation is made. - National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services 2011
3a. Standard 22 covers how allegations are handled and requires that:
3a-i. Foster carers, fostering staff and children know how to complain and can reach suitable support.
3a-ii. Allegations against foster carers follow clear policies, involve safeguarding professionals and are addressed promptly.
3a-iii. Foster carers receive independent support and advice during any investigation. - Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 (updated December 2023)
4a. This statutory guidance stresses multi-agency working to protect children and manage allegations, requiring local authorities, fostering agencies and other professionals to collaborate so that concerns are handled promptly and fairly for both children and foster carers. - Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Procedures
5a. The LADO oversees investigations into allegations against professionals, including foster carers, and chairs strategy meetings to keep inquiries fair, timely and thorough. - National Minimum Standards 2011 (additional standards)
6a. Standard 4 – Safeguarding Children
6b. Standard 11 – Independent fostering agencies: duty to secure welfare
6c. Standard 12 – Arrangements for the protection of children
6d. Standard 17 – Support, training and information for foster parents
6e. Standard 22 – Handling allegations and suspicions of harm
6f. Standard 30 – Case records relating to foster carers and others
6g. Standard 36 – Notifiable events - Training, Support and Development for Foster Carers
7a. Standard 2 – Understand your role as a foster carer
7b. Standard 6 – Keep children and young people safe from harm
When reading this policy, please also see the Safeguarding Policy and the Allegations & Complaints Policy & Procedure.
Introduction
The agency is committed to offering the highest standards of care for children and young people who are looked after. Children and young people have the right to feel safe, to be treated with respect, to be valued and to receive care that meets or exceeds the National Minimum Standards 2011. This policy explains how we manage allegations, complaints and concerns about foster carers’ standards of care. It clarifies the differences between allegations, complaints and standards-of-care concerns and shows how everyone will be treated fairly, in line with our responsibility to safeguard children and promote excellent care.
All foster carers will receive training and guidance to help them keep every child, the foster family and themselves safe.
Definitions
The agency treats every allegation and complaint with seriousness. Concerns can range from relatively minor issues to very serious matters. Child protection is always our first priority. These procedures apply whenever an allegation, complaint or concern is raised about a foster carer working with children in care.
There is often confusion about the terms below.
- Allegation – a claim that a foster carer has harmed, is harming or may harm a child physically, emotionally or sexually, or has failed to protect the child from harm. Allegations usually come under the Children Act 1989 and may trigger child-protection procedures set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
- Complaint – any expression of dissatisfaction from a child, foster parent or another person about the fostering service. This can relate to duties under the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, which require an effective complaints process.
- Standards of Care Concern – an issue where a foster carer’s actions fall below the required standards in the National Minimum Standards 2011, without an allegation of harm, but still raising questions about the carer’s capacity to offer suitable care.
Roles and Responsibilities
(These apply whether or not child-protection procedures are involved.)
1. Registered Manager (RM)
The RM makes sure systems are in place to protect every child from abuse, neglect, exploitation and deprivation in foster homes, and to monitor and improve the quality of care.
2. Team Manager (TM)
The TM and supervising social workers (SSWs) ensure that concerns about carers are fully explored. The TM supports good practice that protects both foster carers and children and young people. The TM must:
- Contact the host and placing LADO and, if needed, make a referral. For standards of care involvement with LADO may end at consultation stage.
- If the incident happens out of hours, inform the child’s local authority emergency duty team.
- Join strategy discussions with the SSW or Senior Practitioner (unless the Senior Practitioner is the allocated worker).
- Act as the lead person for the agency.
- Send a formal letter to the carer explaining the allegation or concern and available support, but only after the LADO gives guidance on timing.
- Record the process on agency systems, and lead the investigation if the LADO advises.
- Arrange the foster carer’s early review promptly once the matter ends.
3. Supervising Social Worker (SSW)
The SSW supports the investigation as directed by the TM, usually by providing information, including a chronology, for the initial strategy meeting or the carer’s investigation report. The SSW must:
- Stay in close contact with the TM, who guides the procedure.
- Attend strategy discussions.
- Liaise with the child’s social worker or follow LADO advice about when to contact the carer.
- Contact the carer as agreed in the strategy discussion.
- Make sure the carer receives clear information, support and advice.
- Attend any follow-up meeting with the carer and their family, unless this is judged inappropriate.
The SSW continues to supervise the carer during the investigation, keeping regular contact. Guidance from strategy meetings will set out what can be shared with the foster carers. SSWs must tell foster carers how to reach Foster Talk for independent support.
If concerns affect a carer’s suitability to foster, the SSW writes the annual review, which may be brought forward.
4. Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
The LADO co-ordinates and oversees individual cases, offers advice to agencies, liaises with police and monitors progress to keep investigations thorough, timely and fair.
5. Investigating Social Worker (ISW)
The ISW is an independent social worker appointed by the agency (not the carer’s allocated SSW) to gather information and write the agency’s investigation report. With agreement from the local authority and police (where involved), the ISW speaks with the child and the foster carer. The ISW will meet:
- The foster carer.
- Other adults in the home (if appropriate).
- The SSW.
- The child or young person (in line with the local authority social worker).
- Others who can give feedback, such as birth children or involved professionals.
The ISW’s report must give clear evidence, analysis and recommendations for each concern and use the following outcome definitions:
| Outcome | Definition |
| Substantiated | Enough evidence shows the child was harmed or at risk of harm. If facts are true but no harm is found, consider unsubstantiated or unfounded. |
| Unsubstantiated | Not enough evidence to prove or disprove the allegation; no implication of guilt or innocence. |
| Unfounded | No evidence or sound basis supports the allegation; the concern may arise from misunderstanding or lack of full information. |
| No further action (NFA) | Initial discussion concludes the matter does not fall within these procedures. |
The TM informs the RM and feeds back to the local authority on the report.
6. Local Authority Child/Young Person’s Social Worker & Team Manager
They arrange safeguarding measures, support the child or young person and may help the ISW communicate with the child.
7. Fostering Reviewing Officers (FRO)
FROs are independent social workers who chair annual reviews of foster carers and consider views from all parties, training needs and the SSW recommendation about approval.
8. Agency Fostering Panel
Panel members review foster carers’ approval and suitability after any complaint, allegation or standards-of-care issue and make recommendations to the Agency Decision Maker (ADM).
9. Agency Decision Maker (ADM)
The ADM makes timely, high-quality decisions to promote children’s welfare. The ADM may differ from Panel recommendations and writes to the foster carer with the decision, reasons and information on the Independent Reviewing Mechanism (IRM).
10. Independent Reviewing Mechanism (IRM)
The IRM offers foster carers an independent review if they disagree with the ADM’s qualifying determination and apply within 28 days. The IRM cannot overturn the final decision but gives a fresh recommendation that the ADM must consider.
Child Protection Procedures Warranting a Standards of Care Investigation
Strategy Discussion/Meeting
When there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, the local authority and police hold a strategy discussion with relevant professionals (including the SSW and TM for fostering concerns). The agency works in partnership with local authorities to share information and follow agreed actions until an outcome is reached.
Foster carers should know the agency’s policies on standards of care and how breaches are managed. New carers receive full induction, and SSWs cover these expectations in supervision and development plans.
Foster carers can request independent support during a standards-of-care procedure (NMS 22.12). The agency remains supportive and offers access to Foster Talk.
LADO Strategy Meeting Outcomes
The strategy meeting may decide:
- The allegation or concern is not substantiated and no further action is needed.
- More information is required before deciding next steps, including who will collect it and when.
- A child-protection investigation is needed under local safeguarding procedures; police and a social worker will report back to the strategy meeting.
- A follow-up strategy discussion is required to:
4a. Share all information.
4b. Confirm agreed actions are complete.
4c. Agree the enquiry outcome: substantiated abuse (papers may or may not go to the CPS); no S47 action but agency investigation needed; allegation not proven yet concerns remain (standards-of-care issues); or allegation unfounded. Ofsted is updated on S47 outcomes.
4d. Decide whether the child will stay or return to the placement. - If no further child-protection action is needed, the outcome is shared with the foster carer and recorded on file, and the internal investigation begins if safeguarding concerns remain.
Concerns That Do Not Warrant Child-Protection Investigation
Sometimes concerns about a foster carer do not reach child-protection thresholds but still raise serious standards-of-care questions. The roles and responsibilities above still apply. Examples include:
- Inappropriate verbal chastisement.
- Problems with pocket money, clothing or food.
- Lack of supervision, such as a child accessing alcohol, medication or unsuitable adult material.
- Errors showing lack of care, such as incorrect administration of prescribed medication.
The TM informs the RM of any standards-of-care issues. Previous concerns must be reviewed to see if they form a wider pattern of risk and added to the investigation report. The ISW completes the investigation, the TM oversees quality and informs the RM and, where appropriate, the local authority.
The ISW shares the report and findings with the foster carer, who can state whether they agree, partly agree or disagree. The outcome is confirmed in writing, and the carer again has the right to independent support via Foster Talk.
The agency values every family and will offer all reasonable support, but deregistration may be necessary when:
- The family has not fostered for an extended time with no sign of return.
- There is an irretrievable breakdown in the working relationship with Positive Aspirations Group or linked agencies.
- A standards-of-care investigation concludes that deregistration is required.
- A foster-home review recommends deregistration.
- The family’s actions bring Positive Aspirations Group or linked agencies into disrepute.
If deregistration is possible, Positive Aspirations Group will communicate openly, explain decisions clearly and give the family time to decide whether to accept or challenge the proposal, with information on the dispute process and copies of relevant reports.
Placement Decisions After Unfounded or Unsubstantiated Outcomes
When a standards-of-care investigation ends as unfounded or unsubstantiated, the ISW decides whether the carer can be considered for new placements before the early review by weighing:
- Any remaining concerns.
- Support or development the carer still needs.
- Confidence in the carer’s ability to meet new children’s needs.
The ISW then recommends:
- Eligible for Placements – the carer can be asked about new placements before the early review.
- Not Eligible for Placements – the carer will not be considered for new placements until after the early review and panel.
Household Review of Suitability to Foster (Annual Review)
Regulation 28 (2) of the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 requires a review within one year of approval and at least every 12 months thereafter. Reviews cannot be delayed because of an investigation. If an investigation is ongoing, the scheduled review proceeds on time, noting the investigation’s status. Once the investigation finishes, an extra review (or an addendum to a recent review) is completed, as agreed by the SSW, TM and, if needed, the RM.
Foster Carers Who Resign or Transfer During an Investigation
To keep children safe, Positive Aspirations Group does not transfer foster families in or out while a standards-of-care investigation is active. Investigations must finish and outcomes be clear first. If an applicant family has a past standards-of-care issue with another provider, Positive Aspirations Group will view those records before accepting the assessment. When a Positive Aspirations Group carer is under investigation, any recruiting provider is informed so they can delay their assessment and later receive the outcome. All historical investigations and allegations are included in references, and recruiting providers are advised to view the full family file.
Lower-Level Concerns
Lower-level concerns are issues raised about a foster carer’s practice that do not meet the threshold for a Standards of Care Review or LADO consultation but yet still require attention to ensure the carer receives appropriate support and guidance.
Once identified, these concerns should by the SSW, TM and RM so that a decision can be made about next steps. The rationale for not consulting with LADO should be recorded on the carers file. Where appropriate, a Lower-Level Concerns Meeting should be held with the foster carers to discuss the issues, hear their views, and agree an action plan to support improvements in practice. Following a Lower-Level Concerns Meeting, it may also be necessary to update the LASW with the agreed outcomes.
